Market turmoil seen fueling hedge fund launches

Reuters – A wave of hedge funds are being launched this year by traders as the financial crisis fuels a shakeout of talent from Wall Street banks and big investment firms, an industry executive said.

Record redemptions last year prompted hundreds of hedge funds to shut down, and swooning markets have made it difficult to raise new capital. Still, one leading financial services technology firm said a growing number of managers are braving the tough environment to strike out on their own.

"There’s a huge resurgence of new start-ups," said Jayesh Punater, chief executive of Gravitas Technology, whose company builds and manages technology systems for investment firms.